Current through Register 1537, December 20, 2024
(1)
Heading. The petition form prepared by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth may contain a heading. The heading may include, but is not
limited to, the following:
(a) the words, "The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts";
(b)
identification of the type of state ballot question petition
(
i.e., initiative petition for a law);
(c) language identifying the authority for
the petition (
i.e., "Under Article XLVIII of the Amendments to
the Constitution of the Commonwealth");
(d) the State Coat of Arms.
(2)
Filing Deadlines
Box. The petition form prepared by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall include a box containing the applicable filing deadlines,
including both:
(a) the last day and hour for
filing with the local election officials for certification; and
(b) the last day and hour for filing with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth's Elections Division.
(3)
Summary. The
petition form shall include the summary of the proposed measure, as written by
the Attorney General; the summary shall appear above the First Ten Signers and
the Signature Gathering Box.
(4)
First Ten Signers.
(a) The petition form shall include a box
containing the names and addresses of the first ten signers of the petition, as
required by the Massachusetts Constitution, and the box shall be identified as
such. The names and addresses of the first ten signers, as designated in
writing by the filer of the petition at the time of filing, shall appear as
they are on the certificates of voter registration provided at the time of
filing; however:
1. Abbreviations of street
designations will not be used,
i.e. street and road shall not
be abbreviated.
2. Where an
apartment or unit number is given on the voter registration certificate, it
will be included on the petition in the following format:
Name XX Street Name, # X City or Town
(b) Accompanying the names and
addresses of the first ten signers shall be the following statement of
certification: "These names have been certified as names of registered voters
in their places of residence. Original petition was filed on (date)." Below
such statement shall appear the signature of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
(5)
Registrar Use Only Box. The petition form prepared by
the Secretary of the Commonwealth may include a box for registrar use only. If
included on the petition form, Registrars of Voters must utilize this box to
comply with
950 CMR
55.02(1), and must mark the
date and time the petitions are received in this box. Registrars of Voters may
also place in this box information they deem necessary, including, but not
limited to, the following:
(a) the name of the
person submitting petitions;
(b)
the telephone number of the person submitting petitions; and
(c) the number of petitions
received.
(6)
Circulator Information Box. The petition form prepared
by the Secretary of the Commonwealth may contain additional printed circulator
information, upon written request of the first ten signers of the petition.
(a) Such request must be in writing and
received at the time the petition is filed with the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, and:
1. The first ten signers
shall be designated as "SPONSORS OF THIS PETITION."
2. The first ten signers may choose either of
the following messages to accompany the above designation:
a. MAY BE CONTACTED AT; or
b. REQUEST THAT YOU RETURN THIS PETITION
TO.
3. Such circulator
information may include an address and telephone number.
4. The heading for such address and telephone
number shall reflect the letter of the petition as assigned by the Secretary of
the Commonwealth pursuant to 950 CMR 48.04(10) (
i.e. "Petition
X").
5. Sample of format for
circulator information:
SPONSORS OF THIS PETITION MAY BE CONTACTED AT
PETITION X
X STREET NAME
CITY/TOWN, MA XXXXX
(XXX) XXX-XXXX
(7)
Circulator and Signer
Information Box. The petition form prepared by the Secretary of
the Commonwealth may include a box for instructions to circulators and signers.
These instructions given by the Secretary of the Commonwealth may include, but
are not limited to, the following:
(a)
DO NOT ALTER THIS PETITION IN ANY WAY. Additional
markings on this petition will disqualify any signatures on this
petition.
(b) For your signature to
be valid, you must be a registered voter in the city or town named below and
your signature should be written substantially as registered. Do not sign the
same petition more than once.
(c)
If you are prevented by physical disability from writing, you may authorize
some person to write your name and residence in your presence.
(8)
Signature
Gathering Box.
(a) The petition
form prepared by the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall include a box for
gathering signatures.
1. On the left side of
the box shall be a consecutively numbered column. At the top of the column
shall be the words "REGISTRAR USE."
2. The next column shall be designated for
the signatures of registered voters, and shall be appropriately
labeled.
3. The next column shall
be designated for the addresses of those registered voters who signed in the
previous column, and shall be appropriately labeled.
4. The last two columns shall be used for the
ward and precinct of the registered voter, respectively, and such columns shall
be appropriately labeled.
(b) The Signature Gathering Box shall
continue on the back side of the petition form. The numbering shall continue in
consecutive order from the front side of the petition form.
(c) The number of signature lines contained
on the petition form shall be determined by the length of the
summary.
(9)
Name of City or Town Box. The petition form prepared
by the Secretary of the Commonwealth may include boxes for persons soliciting
signatures to insert the name of a city or town. Such boxes shall be
appropriately labeled, i.e. "ONLY REGISTERED VOTERS
OF________________MAY SIGN THIS SHEET."
(10)
Petition
Designation. Each petition filed with the Secretary of the
Commonwealth shall be assigned a designation determined by order of submission
and this designation may be placed on the petition form so as to allow for easy
identification (e.g. A, B, C). Petition forms for supplemental
signatures prepared by the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be assigned a
designation based on the original order of submission (e.g.
AA, BB, CC).
(11)
Circulator Petition Sheet Number Box. The petition
form prepared by the Secretary of the Commonwealth may include a Circulator
Petition Sheet Number Box to be printed on the petition itself, upon written
request of the first ten signers of the petition.
(a) Such request to have a Circulator
Petition Sheet Number Box printed on the petition blank must be in writing and
received at the time the petition is filed with the Secretary of the
Commonwealth.
(b) The numbering
placed in the Circulator Petition Sheet Number Box may contain only numbers and
the use of a connector-for example: 1 of 20, or 1/20, or just consecutive
numbers. The Circulator Petition Sheet Number Box may not contain any letters
other than those in the connector-for example, no initials may be
used.
